DUBLIN, Ohio—The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ:WEN) announced that its president and chief executive officer Emil Brolick, age 67, will retire from management duties in May 2016. In accordance with the company's succession plan, Brolick will be succeeded by current chief financial officer Todd Penegor, age 50.

With demonstrations for higher worker wages heating up Wednesday at quick service restaurants across America and the world, attention is falling on the squeezed profit margins and weakened independence of McDonald's franchisees.

OAK BROOK, Ill. – In the aftermath of what analysts are calling its worst drop in same-store sales in over a decade, McDonald's vows that it will change. McDonald's Corporation announced last Tuesday that its U.S. same-restaurant sales were down 3.3 percent for the third quarter of 2014.

There's not only a missing customer, but drive-thru speed has slowed at McDonald's. Photo by Thomas Hawk

OAK BROOK, Ill. – McDonald's Corporation last week announced disappointing results for its first quarter ending March 31, 2014. McDonald's same restaurant sales in the United States decreased 1.7 percent.

“There are many franchisors who continue to be registered in California [with the state government, allowing them to sell franchises] despite having pages of disclosures about concluded litigation holding them liable for fraud, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, or misappropriation of property.”